Earth Hour 2019 on Saturday 30th March from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in your local time zone and is an amazing opportunity for you to start changing the planet for the better!
Why nature matters!
Nature matters because we can’t have a prosperous future on a depleted planet. The unprecedented loss of biodiversity we are seeing today is an existential threat to human life and economic development. Nature is not a far away entity, but close to us, part of our lives, and without the natural environment we wouldn’t thrive.
How to execute a Lights Out for Earth Hour:
Switch off non-essential lights in your buildings, facilities and signage during Earth Hour from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Going Beyond the Hour
Earth Hour is not just for one hour; the point is also to carry on sustainable activities beyond the hour. That means making a commitment to a continual change throughout the year that reduces your impact on the environment.
- Reduce commutes – A business can set up a company carpool for employees or allow them to work from home a few times a month. This will help to decrease the emission of harmful gases or chemicals in the atmosphere.
- Go paperless whenever possible – Don’t limit going paperless to customers, send meeting documents electronically and display them with a projector at the meeting, alternatively, invest in tablets so employees can have documents on hand without printing them.
- Use recycled and reusable materials – Make an effort to use recycled materials whenever possible. This particularly applies to paper; each ton of recycled paper saves 7,000 gallons of water and 3 cubic yards of landfill space, along with many other resources. Opt for recycled copy paper, cardboard pens and eco-friendly folders made from sustainable resources.
- Use alternative energy sources – work with your utility providers to see if there are alternative forms of energy available to you such as solar, wind or geothermal. Consider putting solar panels on your roof or getting your energy from a nearby wind farm. There are also some smaller things you can do to save energy, such as using LED lighting and putting automatic hand dryers to reduce the number of paper towels used.
- E-Scrap your electronics – Many electronic devices, such as computers, phones, and televisions contain heavy metals like mercury and lead which is destructive to land and water. Be sure to research the proper way to recycle your electronics if you don’t repurpose them yourself.
Further Reading
